Full disclosure: I do host a show over on Geek & Sundry called #parent — but I liked this show long before I became part of the G&S family. In fact, I know Josh and Will from my days as a writer on Attack of the Show! – they were two of our favorite actors to have in sketches; they’re both super talented, very versatile, and incredibly funny. If you haven’t checked out the show yet, you really should click take a look. If you have kids, or spend time with them, you are familiar with the twists and turns their stories can take, and I think this show is doing a genius job of capturing the feel of surrendering yourself, and going on an oratorical journey with a child.

Since having children I have enjoyed sharing my own favorite childhood stories with my boys, I have also enjoyed discovering new stories with them. Shortly after having my first son in 2009 I discovered, with the help of Grandma, a story called The Gruffalo, which was then celebrating its tenth year of publication. If you know our family, then this is the first book your child will receive as a present from us. If they like it as much as we do, it will be followed with The Gruffalo’s Child, then some sort of game or stuffed animal. It is one of those stories that sticks with you and just keeps getting better with each telling.

< Spoilers – of a sort > On a crisp day, a little mouse sets off for a stroll in the woods. Along his way he encounters many foes who would devour him but for his cunning and quick thinking. Announcing that he is meeting up with a far scarier creature than they, he describes the Gruffalo, an animal so fierce and vile as to send all predators running for the hills. Feeling quite well of himself, the mouse is shocked to turn a corner and discover that his imaginary protector is real, and wishes to snack on him! Gathering his wits, the mouse leads the Gruffalo back through the woods, back past his predators and by the time he has woven his tale, has sent the Gruffalo running in fear.< /Spoilers >

In a recent post, I wrote about GeekDad Chuck Lawton’s concerns about helping his young son with reading and writing skills. In it, we GeekMoms shared a number of suggestions for building those skills while still having fun, which was important to Chuck. But while we were discussing the question of how to build those skills, we got a little sidetracked, wondering if we really hadto build those skills so early. Just because a school system says kids should be reading at a certain age, are we obligated to push them, however gently we may do so?

Children pushed to read young tend to rely on right brain processes because that area matures more quickly. These early readers are likely to guess at unknown words using clues such as appearance, context, beginning and ending letters. Their main tactic is memorizing sight words. These are valuable methods but not a balanced approach to reading. Such children may quickly tire after reading short passages or read smoothly but have difficulty deriving meaning from what they read. The procedure they use to decode words can make the content hard to comprehend. These reading problems can persist.

However children benefit when they learn to read naturally or are taught later. That’s because, as the left brain matures and the pathway between both hemispheres develops, it becomes easier for them to sound out words, to visualize meanings, and mentally tinker with abstractions.

Laura points out that kids develop unevenly and that schools tend to put a lot of emphasis on where kids don’t do “as well as expected” rather than fostering the more natural process of letting those lagging areas pull up in tandem with a child’s interests and gifts. In terms of cues, she says, there’s some evidence that plenty of time in certain physical activities translate into reading readiness. (Teachers used to say that if a child can do jumping jacks smoothly, he’s also ready to read.) She recommends the wonderful book The Well-Balanced Child: Movement and Early Learningfor delving more deeply into the topic.

Rebecca also voiced concerns about ”working” on reading with young children (especially boys) who will ultimately start reading when they are good and ready. Andrea suggests that at a young age it’s more important to develop a positive attitude toward reading than it is to develop proficiency. Her family made reading an important bonding time because she wanted her kids to develop a positive attitude toward reading–and the habit just stuck. She still occasionally reads to both of her guys.

I love the holiday season, especially now that my daughter is old enough to start to understand what is going on with the holidays. We celebrate Christmas, but I’d like her to know that there are other holidays that people celebrate during this time of year. The Night Before Christmas DVD set from Scholastic Storybook Treasures has been very helpful when it comes to being able to show my daughter some of the different holidays celebrated during this season as well as how different cultures celebrate.

Like other Scholastic Storybook Treasures DVDs, The Night Before Christmas has several stories per DVD that are animated and narrated. There are classics like The Night Before Christmas and The Little Drummer Boy. There is also a Hanukkah story, In the Month of Kislev, as well as a Kwanzaa story, Seven Candles for Kwanzaa. There is even a story about Chinese New Year called Sam and the Lucky Money.

My 3-year-old liked all of the stories, but she enjoyed the ones that had to do with Santa most of all. I think these DVDs will become holiday favorites, especially as she gets a little old enough to appreciate some of the other holidays and traditions that people celebrate during this time of year. I would recommend this DVD set to anyone who has young children and wants a great set of diverse stories for the holidays.

Like any self-respecting Geek, I know how to obsess over something, and one of my obsessions is decorating for the holidays. I limit myself to the fall build up to Thanksgiving, and Christmas. I don’t decorate for Easter, New Years, Halloween, etc. So every time I see something I like I get it. We have two tote boxes full of Thanksgiving “decorations,” and about five for Christmas. I will create things and purchase things to go along with my theme, and heaven help anyone who stands in my way.

Image: Wikipedia public domain

Somehow Michael Dorn has managed to become a Thanksgiving staple in our house, but I need some help confirming that he should rightfully be there. Best known for the role of Lieutenant Commander Worf on Star Trek: The Next GenerationandStar Trek: Deep Space Nine, he has been part of our Christmas tradition for many years now, for his portrayal of the sand man in Tim Allen’s Santa Clausemovies. Several years ago, I purchased the above bear from The Christmas Tree shops. It’s a Hallmark bear that tells the Hallmark version of the story of Thanksgiving, no violence included. The thing is, I swear it’s Michael Dorn’s voice telling the story. The first time I heard it, I ran around the house shrieking “It’s Worf! It’s Worf.” While my husband and sister-in-law both hear what I’m hearing, they are reluctant to commit. The box did not credit Michael Dorn, nor do any of the biographies I can find.

So help me please! Do you have this bear, and is it a Michael Dorn Thanksgiving?

If you’ve never heard of Grammy-winning kids’ artist Bill Harley, get thee to his web site to check out his songs, stories and epic poems. Harley is one of those rare artists who truly remember what it’s like to be a kid, as evidenced by tunes like “Pea on My Plate,” performed here at Brooklyn’s Kindiefest in May.